


why can't you imagine a world like that?

by coopbastian



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Getting Back Together, Kissing, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 17:34:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16999503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coopbastian/pseuds/coopbastian
Summary: After the events of “The Death of Vibe,” Cisco lays low at his parents’ house when he gets a surprise visit from a worried Cindy.





	why can't you imagine a world like that?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [365paperdolls](https://archiveofourown.org/users/365paperdolls/gifts).



> Happy [DCTV Secret Santa](https://dctvsecretsanta.tumblr.com/)!!! :D I had the pleasure to write some cute Cynco for tumblr user [365paperdolls](https://365paperdolls.tumblr.com/)! I really hope you enjoy reading and Happy Holidays <3
> 
> Beta'd by my lovely wife [believesinponds](http://believesinponds.tumblr.com/) and thank you to the amazing [augustheart](http://augustheart.tumblr.com/) for being the Cindy/DC Comics expert 
> 
> Title is taken from "[imagine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_rftpd0u0U)" by Ariana Grande

In his sleep, Cisco tosses and turns, pulling the blankets up to his chin as a chill runs down his spine. His brow furrows, his mouth tastes bitter, and there are soft groans escaping through his lips. He feels lost in a dark, cold, boundless void, unable to call for his friends.  
  
He sees silhouettes of his brother Dante, his back turned, and no matter how much Cisco runs, he can’t quite reach him. He tries calling out, but no sound comes from his mouth. The silhouette slowly transforms into a hooded figure, one with a mask covering its face, and a loud and unpleasant sound echoes throughout the void. It’s Cicada.  
  
Cisco runs the other way, tries and tries to scream for help, but the only noise he can hear is the buzzing coming from Cicada, getting closer and closer to him. Cisco doesn’t want to give up. His lungs hurt from the straining, his legs nearly giving out. _This is it_ , he realizes. With him out of the way, Cicada will get to Barry next, and Iris, Nora, Ralph, Caitlin...Cicada will win.  
  
In an instant, a breach opens up in his bedroom. Cisco wakes up with a long gasp of air, sweat dripping down his forehead, his bandaged hands protectively over his heart.  
  
“Where is he?” a familiar voice reaches his ears, the stomping of boots making their way around the room.  
  
It takes a moment for Cisco to process what’s happening, and then he realizes that he’s waking up from a dream—no, a _nightmare_ , like the nightmares he used to have after Eobard killed him in the original timeline.  
  
“Where’s the bastard?” the voice says again, her tone the demanding one that Cisco always loves.  
  
“Cin-Cindy…?” Cisco says, his eyes adjusting to the dark. He leans over to his bedside table to switch on the lamp.  
  
Cindy is in her usual work outfit, huffing and stomping around, moving pillows and clothes around with a scowl on her face.  
  
“Cindy,” Cisco says again, rubbing the sleep from his face and running his fingers through his hair. He wants to make sure that he isn’t still dreaming because he hasn’t seen Cindy since their breakup. It still hurts. It hurts seeing her now, but at the same time all he wants to do is run into her arms. “What’re you doing here?” he asks, slowly getting out of bed.  
  
“I saw you,” Cindy replies vaguely, but she doesn’t look at him. “I mean, I had a vibe. You were fighting someone, someone...powerful. You were fighting them one second, and the next, I couldn’t feel you anymore.” She faces him, a confused and concerned look replacing her features. “I-I thought you were…” She doesn’t finish saying the words, tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
Cisco lets out a rather breathy sigh, his heart heavy. His feet move before his brain realizes it and he enters Cindy’s personal space, something that she usually hates, but she closes the rest of the distance and his arms wrap around her in a tight embrace. She digs her face into his chest, her hands gripping the back of his shirt. His chin rests on the top of her head and he nearly lets out a sob when he smells the familiar scent of coffee beans and coconut on her.  
  
“I’m here,” he whispers to her, using one hand to slowly stroke though her hair. “It’s okay, _I’m_ okay.”  
  
They stay like this for who knows how long, but Cisco doesn’t care. Just five minutes ago he didn’t think that he would ever see Cindy again. Now she’s here, in his arms. He doesn’t want to let go of her.  
  
Unfortunately, Cindy pulls away enough so that she’s no longer holding onto him. She wipes at the corner of her eyes and clears her throat before suddenly punching him in the shoulder without any warning.  
  
“Ow!” Cisco flinches, putting a hand over his shoulder. “What was that for?”  
  
“What happened, Cisco?” she asks, voice stern. “I thought it was a fluke, at first. I gave it a couple of days before trying to vibe you again, but...it was like you were gone.” She glances down at his hand, noticing the bandages. Her eyes widen. “Cisco!”  
  
Cisco winces, immediately feeling guilty for not getting in touch with her. It’s not like he hadn’t thought of it every day, but every time he was about to vibe her, he stopped himself. “I...we had to fake my death,” he tells her. “Well—Vibe’s death, actually. But I’m fine, see? Alive and...somewhat well.”  
  
Cindy punches him again in the same spot, but softer this time. “And your hands?” she insists.  
  
“It happened during the fight with this dude...Cicada,” Cisco says, nearly shivering at the name. “I, uh...I can’t…”  
  
“You can’t vibe,” Cindy finishes for him, and he nods slowly. Her expression softens and she takes his hands into hers, as if she’s examining them. “Cisco...why didn’t you tell me sooner? I could’ve helped. I could’ve gotten backup, I—”  
  
They’re interrupted by a rapid knocking on Cisco’s bedroom door. Cisco jumps away from Cindy to put enough distance between them, but Cindy stands where she is and crosses her arms over her chest.  
  
“ _Cisquito_?” his mother calls through the door. “You okay? I thought I heard something.”  
  
Cisco flusters. “Uh, y-yeah, Mamá! I’m good,” he responds. He swears that there’s a slight smirk on Cindy’s face.  
  
However, the smirk turns into a thin line when the doorknob starts turning. Cisco hurries over just as the door opens and his mother steps in,. He’s too late to block her view.  
  
“Oh!” his mother exclaims when she spots Cindy. “I didn’t know you were...having company this late, _mijo_. I didn’t even hear the front door.”  
  
Cisco mentally facepalms himself, feeling the heat quickly rising into his cheeks. “N-no, Mamá, it’s not like that!” he says while Cindy is still in a rather intimidating stance.  
  
“I climbed through the window,” Cindy says, as if it’s the most obvious explanation, offering a small shrug.  
  
It’s clear that his bedroom window is locked and undisturbed, but it’s not why his mother is now giving him a weird look (that at the same time comes off as scolding, somehow).  
  
“N-no! No, no!” Cisco panics. Oh god, what’s even happening? _Why_ is this happening? He’s not going to hear the end of this for centuries. “I mean—yeah, she did climb through the window, but not for...it’s not what you think, okay? She’s…” He looks over at Cindy, his heart racing faster than any speedster could possibly run. “She’s just a friend.”  
  
It hurts more than it should to say it out loud for the first time since their breakup. He glances over at Cindy, who has an unreadable expression on her face, which isn’t unusual for her, of course.

  
“Well, okay.” Cisco’s mother doesn’t sound like she’s exactly convinced, but she takes it. “You didn’t have to justify to me, it’s not like you’re fifteen years old, Cisquito.” She offers a small smile while Cindy releases a chuckle. “Just...don’t be too loud, it’s nearly 3 AM and your papi has work in the morning.”  
  
Cisco hides his blushing face behind his hand, letting out a long groan. “Goodnight, Mamá.”  
  
She takes the hint. “ _Buenas noches_ , _mi amor_ ,” she says, blowing a kiss to both Cisco and Cindy before shutting the door.  
  
“Your mami’s adorable,” Cindy says with a bit of teasing tone in her voice, but the two of them fall into an awkward silence. “Just a friend, huh?”

Nope, _this_ is more awkward than the silence.

Cisco turns around to face her, tucking his hair behind his ears as he’s now very much aware that he’s only in a white t-shirt and boxers. “Well. You checked up on me, which I appreciate, all things considered between us, but maybe you should...”

“Right. Sure, I’ll go.” Cindy opens up a breach behind her, but her body is tense, as if hesitant to go.

“I don’t want you to,” Cisco says, his voice quiet, barely audible, but Cindy catches it.

She looks at him over her shoulder with a small and sad smile. “I know,” she says before leaping into the breach, leaving Cisco alone in his dimly-lit room.

—

Cindy shows up a couple of weeks later, breaching into the middle of the cortex while the whole of Team Flash is meeting. She doesn’t feel guilty for interrupting—she only wants to check up on Cisco and make sure that he’s doing well because they’re still friends. Friends still care, and it’s better than completely cutting Cisco out of her life. It wasn’t easy for her to do that after their breakup and she wasn’t going to do it again.  

When she gracefully jumps from the breach, Barry and Iris exchange a look. Caitlin isn’t fazed by this, but she does shoot daggers over at Cisco. There’s a taller man with them now, who’s looking rather protective. There’s also a short woman who suddenly whooshes over to Cindy, hugging her so tight that she nearly picks her up.  
  
“Auntie Cindy!” the new speedster squeals in delight, which makes Cindy grimace. “Uncle Cisco didn’t tell us you were visiting.”  
  
It only takes Cindy a second to figure out who this is, judging by how obnoxiously happy she is (Barry) combined with her goddess-like appearance (Iris). “Oh, boy. Another West-Allen,” she says, awkwardly giving the girl a pat on the back before she finally gets released from the embrace.  
  
“Ralph Dibny,” the taller man introduces himself, approaching her with an outstretched hand— _literally_ stretching it out. “Or you may know me as the Elongated Man.”  
  
Cindy glances at the hand and back up at him with a weird look. “Don’t touch me with your noodle arm,” she says as she takes a step back.  
  
Barry lets out a laugh. “Guess we should rename you Noodle Boy,” he teases.  
  
“Hey, you too!” Ralph says, retracting his arm to point at Barry. “We’re, like, the same height and body type.”  
  
“You’re two inches taller,” Barry points out. “And I’m not the one who can stretch.”    
  
As they continue to argue like children, Cindy looks over at Cisco for the first time. She sees that he’s trying his best to hold in his laughter, but he’s obviously amused. Maybe even a little hopeful from Nora calling her “Auntie,” which tugs at her heart. There are no words to describe how much she misses him, but she would never show it, or admit it out loud—and certainly not to him.  
  
“Can we talk?” Cindy asks him, starting to feel a little insecure with all these eyes on her. She’s not used to this kind of attention.  
  
Cisco, luckily, doesn’t say another word. He leads her into his private workroom down the hallway and sits at one of the desks, fiddling with a particular version of his goggles. “Is this a business visit, or am I just so irresistible that you couldn’t stay away?” he says, but his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.  
  
“How...how are you?” Cindy asks, ignoring his question. Folding her arms across her chest, she leans against the desk opposite of him.  
  
Cisco lifts up his hands, wrapped up in new bandage, it seems like. “The same, I guess,” he tells her. “At least my shoulder is healed, and I’m back at my place.”  
  
“That’s good,” she says, offering the smallest of smiles. “I...I’m glad, Cisco. It’s just that...I’m still unable to get a vibe from you. I—”  
  
“You wanted to check in on me,” Cisco finishes. “I get it. I’m fine, Cindy.” There’s a pause. “You don’t have to do this, y’know. We’re figuring it out, I’ll be Vibe again in no time.” Another pause. “Unless...there’s another reason.”  
  
Cindy quirks an eyebrow at him. “What other reason could there be?” she asks, before she realizes what he’s trying to say. She can’t do this. She can’t have this conversation here and now. She straightens up, patting down her jacket. “Never mind, forget I asked,” she says. “I should get going. Earth-19 can’t function without me and all.”  
  
“Cindy—”  
  
She doesn’t stop herself from hurrying out of the workroom, going down the hallway, hoping that he isn’t following her when she runs into the small speedster.  
  
“Oh. Auntie Cindy,” she greets, a chipper tone in her voice. “I was looking for you.”  
  
“I was just leaving,” Cindy tells her simply, walking past the girl. “It was, uh...nice meeting you…”  
  
“Nora,” the speedster says, smiling as she follows Cindy. “If you have a minute, I have a couple of questions. It won’t take long, I swear! I’m just excited to meet you. I mean—you’re my aunt, my favorite _badass_ aunt.” She emphasizes her words, which works since Cindy stops and faces her.  
  
“Your favorite, huh?” Cindy asks, grinning with a bit of amusement as she rests a hand to her hip. “Did your father put you up to this? We’re not exactly blood-related, chickadee.”  
  
Nora lets out a giggle at the nickname. “I know, but my mom always insisted I called you guys Uncle Cisco and Auntie Cindy,” she says. “If anything, you’re my second pair of parents.”  
  
“Hope that doesn’t involve babysitting,” Cindy comments, which makes Nora laugh softly.  
  
“I do hope you two figure it out,” Nora says, sincerity in her eyes, very much like Barry. Cindy wants to be annoyed by it, but she can’t find it in herself to do so. “I know I shouldn’t butt in or anything, but I just love you both so much, and I know that Uncle Cisco would do anything for you. Also, he’s been listening to Ariana Grande’s new breakup song non-stop for days now, and I want it to stop.”  
  
Cindy can’t help but laugh, the sound genuine. “You poor, poor thing,” she says before sighing. “Look, jumping bean. This whole thing with Cisco, it’s complicated.”  
  
“But you’ve been coming here a lot lately,” Nora says, looking smug.  
  
Cindy bites the inside of her cheek. “You’ll understand when you’re older,” she says.  
  
Nora splutters. “We’re the same age right now!” she protests.  
  
“It doesn’t count,” Cindy tells her, sending her a wink before she opens up a breach. “Tell your Uncle Cisco that I’ll visit again soon.” She says it loud enough for Cisco to hear, since she’s able to feel his presence from around the corner. It gives her butterflies in her stomach. “See ya, jumping bean.”  
  
Even as she starts to pout her lips, Nora bounces excitedly on the balls of her feet, waving as Cindy goes through the breach.  
  
—  
  
It’s Christmas Day, a few days after the team’s plan to seperate Cicada from his dagger fails. So much for Barry and Nora travelling through time, but Cisco is relieved that there haven’t been any consequences from it—at least that’s what Barry keeps telling him.  
  
Everything from his powers to Cicada to his problems with Cindy is putting him in a funk, which makes him unable to enjoy the holiday season to its fullest potential. Although he joins the others outside of the lab on the first day of snow and grabs some hot cocoa from Jitters to watch Christmas movies at the West-Allen’s, Cisco is still spending a lot of time thinking about his ex-girlfriend.  
  
“I’m pathetic,” Cisco whines when he and Barry are in the kitchen preparing dinner for the holiday party.  
  
Barry gives him a sympathetic look. “You’re not,” he says. “I get it. It was hard spending Christmas in prison instead of spending time with Iris.”  
  
Cisco winces a bit, biting his lip. “God, I forgot. Sorry, dude, I didn’t mean—”  
  
“It’s good, man,” Barry tells him, shaking his head. “It’s not a competition, I’m just saying...I understand. It sucks not being able to be with the one you love.”  
  
“I just...I wanna know what she’s thinking,” Cisco says, leaning against the kitchen counter. “Usually I can, and it’s not because of our vibes. It’s because I _know_ her. She keeps showing up and I don’t know if it’s out of pity or...or if she might still have feelings for me.”  
  
Barry stops what he’s doing so that he reaches out to rest a hand on Cisco’s shoulder, squeezing lightly, but his eyes are looking past him. “Why don’t you ask her yourself, Cis?” he says with a small smile on his lips.  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Cisco turns around and—there she is, standing in the doorway of the kitchen, dressed in a beautiful red dress with her hair cascading down her shoulders in big curls.  
  
Cindy smiles rather shyly, ducking her head down for a second. Cisco is trying his best to process what’s happening while Barry takes his cue to grab a couple of dishes and leave the kitchen, greeting Cindy on his way out.  
  
“No, uh, Santa skirt this year?” Cisco manages to say, and it makes Cindy chuckle.  
  
“I’ll never understand why your earth worships a creepy white man in a red suit, but no. Not this year.” Cindy steps closer to him, but her body seems a little tense, still hesitant. “Cisco, there’s something I want to tell you. And I don’t want you laughing at me because you _know_ it’s really difficult for me to be open about my feelings, let alone show them.”  
  
Cisco nods slowly. “I know,” he says, taking a step closer. “I promise, I won’t laugh. You know me. I can be serious.”  
  
Fortunately, his words get Cindy to relax a bit. “I can’t be without you, Cisco,” she says, her voice soft. “I can’t keep myself away and I can’t completely cut you out of my life. It’s been so damn hard, there isn’t a day when I’m not thinking of playing with your hair or wanting to hear your bad puns. I know the first time around wasn’t...so great, but maybe we _can_ make this work. I-I just need some patience and understanding.” She pauses, taking a deep breath. “So...can we figure this out? Together?”  
  
Without any second thought, Cisco rushes to embrace her, wrapping his arms around her. She takes a moment before she’s hugging him back, nuzzling her face into his soft hair.  
  
“Together,” Cisco tells her in a whisper, pulling back just enough to stare into her eyes. “We can do this. After all, we _are_ connected.” He grins and playfully wiggles his eyebrows, which earns him a pinch to his side.  
  
“There’s something else,” Cindy says, reaching into to the back of her dress to reveal a mistletoe. “I had to google your Christian-based religions and it made me want to fight the next white person that spoke to me.” Cisco chuckles. “But during my rather thorough research, I found one that I actually liked. It’s...simple and it’s nice and it made me think of our time during One-One-One Day. I-I would like that again, if you want.” She holds it right above the both of them and she smiles softly. “Merry Christmas, Cisco.”  
  
Smiling wide, Cisco leans in, pressing his lips against hers. The kiss is filled with want and sweetness, lips soft and teeth grazing.  
  
“Of course I want that,” Cisco says against her skin. “Merry Christmas, Cindy.” He kisses her again, more passionate and fierce this time. Cindy drops the mistletoe to wrap her arms around his neck and he rests his own hands on her waist, pulling her closer to him.  
  
“ _Woo_! Get it, Uncle Cisco!” Nora shouts from the doorway of the kitchen, making both Cisco and Cindy jump. They turn to see the other members of Team Flash making catcalls and whistling at them before they approach to give them hugs and pats on the back.  
  
“This is the worst and I am going to kill all of you,” Cindy says through gritted teeth, but she’s unable to stop her grin when Nora and Barry are hugging her excitedly, basically vibrating in the embrace.  
  
“For real. Why d’you guys hate me?” Cisco says as he’s getting cheek kisses from Iris and Ralph.  
  
“We love you, too, baby!” Iris says, making everyone laugh. Cisco smiles while Cindy playfully rolls her eyes.  
  
Once they’re all settled in the living room, the Christmas tree on display with its lights and shiny ornaments, Iris stars pours Grandma Esther’s famous eggnog into mugs and passes them around to everyone in the room. They all raise their drinks up.  
  
“To Uncle Cisco and Auntie Cindy,” Ralph says, a teasing tone in his voice. Everyone else repeats after him.  
  
“To us,” Cisco cheers happily, looking at Cindy.  
  
Cindy raises her mug. “To us,” she repeats, the sweetest smile on her face.


End file.
